Solution:

17 mins

The initial solution most people will think of is to use the fastest person as an usher to guide everyone across. How long would that take? 10 + 1 + 7 + 1 + 2 = 21 mins. Is that it? No. That would make this question too simple even as a warm up question.

Let’s brainstorm a little further. To reduce the amount of time, we should find a way for 10 and 7 to go together. If they cross together, then we need one of them to come back to get the others. That would not be ideal. How do we get around that? Maybe we can have 1 waiting on the other side to bring the torch back. Ahaa, we are getting closer. The fastest way to get 1 across and be back is to use 2 to usher 1 across. So let’s put all this together.

1 and 2 go cross
2 comes back
7 and 10 go across
1 comes back
1 and 2 go across (done)

Total time = 2 + 2 + 10 + 1 + 2 = 17 mins

Solution:

Step 5 is invalid, because we are dividing by (x-y), and since x=y, we are thus dividing by 0. This is an invalid mathematical operation (division by 0), and so by not following basic mathematical rules

Solution:

So that the following plan can be followed, let us number the coins from 1 to 12. For the first weighing let us put on the left pan coins 1,2,3,4 and on the right pan coins 5,6,7,8.

There are two possibilities. Either they balance, or they don't. If they balance, then the different coin is in the group 9,10,11,12. So for our second one possibility is to weigh 9,10,11 against 1,2,3

(1) They balance, in which case you know 12 is the different coin, and you just weigh it against any other to determine whether it is heavy or light.
(2) 9,10,11 is heavy. In this case, you know that the different coin is 9, 10, or 11, and that that coin is heavy. Simply weigh 9 against 10; if they balance, 11 is the heavy coin. If not, the heavier one is the heavy coin.
(3) 9,10,11 is light. Proceed as in the step above, but the coin you're looking for is the light one.

That was the easy part.

What if the first weighing 1,2,3,4 vs 5,6,7,8 does not balance? Then any one of these coins could be the different coin. Now, in order to proceed, we must keep track of which side is heavy for each of the following weighings.

Suppose that 5,6,7,8 is the heavy side. We now weigh 1,5,6 against 2,7,8. If they balance, then the different coin is either 3 or 4. Weigh 4 against 9, a known good coin. If they balance then the different coin is 3, otherwise it is 4. The direction of the tilts can tell us whwther the offending coin is heavier or lighter.

Now, if 1,5,6 vs 2,7,8 does not balance, and 2,7,8 is the heavy side, then either 7 or 8 is a different, heavy coin, or 1 is a different, light coin.

For the third weighing, weigh 7 against 8. Whichever side is heavy is the different coin. If they balance, then 1 is the different coin. Should the weighing of 1,5, 6 vs 2,7,8 show 1,5,6 to be the heavy side, then either 5 or 6 is a different heavy coin or 2 is a light different coin. Weigh 5 against 6. The heavier one is the different coin. If they balance, then 2 is a different light coin.

Solution:

If we have to measure precisely, it is impossible. Because we are asked to measure odd number of liters whereas all the jars we have can contain only even liters of water.

* Tricky question asked in ias/infosys/infoedge/ibibo interview

Solution:

Four

As the window was closed it is obvious that the six candles that were not extinguished were lit till they melted away entirely. Thus only four candles that were extinguished remain at the end.

Solution:

The answer is 2. First, divide the coins into 3 equal piles. Place a pile on each side of the scale, leaving the remaining pile of 3 coins off the scale. If the scale does not tip, you know that the 6 coins on the scale are legitimate, and the counterfeit is in the pile in front of you. If the scale does tip, you know the counterfeit is in the pile on the side of the scale that raised up. Either way, put the 6 legitimate coins aside. Having only 3 coins left, put a coin on each side of the scale, leaving the third in front of you. The same process of elimination will find the counterfeit coin.

Solution:

If you see the picture, they formed a pentagonal shape and achieved the required.

Solution:

Let us assume that all of them are standing on the X shore and they have to travel to the Y shore.

X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son, maid and dog
Y = None

Maid and dog go first and maid returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son and maid
Y = dog

Maid and first son go and maid returns with dog
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, second son, maid and dog
Y = first son

Father and second son go and father returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, maid and dog
Y = first son and second son

Mother and father go and mother comes back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, maid and dog
Y = father, first son and second son

Maid and Dog go and Father returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter and father
Y = first son, second son, maid and dog

Father and Mother go and mother comes back
X = mother, first daughter and second daughter
Y = father, first son, second son, maid and dog

Mother and first daughter go and maid comes back with dog
X = second daughter, maid and dog
Y = mother, first daughter, father, first son and second son

Maid and second daughter go and maid comes back
X = Maid and dog
Y = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son and second son

Maid and dog go
X= none
Y = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son, maid and dog

Thus everyone has reached the other end.

Solution:

1 2 3 4 5 6 and 7 8 6

Since summation of numbers 1-9(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9) is 45 , so its impossible to divide into two equal parts.
Since we cant flip over 6 to make it 9 but we can flip 9 to make it 6 and hence the solution

Solution:

5 leopard and one sheep

since all animal are rational , once 1st leopard eats the sheep all the rest of leopard would know about this.